Shah Rukh Khan has earlier garnered raves for his intricate, prismatic portrayal of an Indian Muslim with Asperger’s syndrome in Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan. However, if you want to witness Khan at the top of his game, you shouldn’t miss his latest film that showcases Khan’s talent with electrifying intensity.

Fan, from the Shuddh Desi Romance fame director Maneesh Sharma, is driven by a solid lead performance by Shah Rukh Khan, in the role of a beguiling fan, who is naïve, yet so searing and vicious.

From the onset, Sharma makes it clear that he isn’t going to take a familiar route to reach the finale. The first act is defiantly novel and punchy as hell. Together, Sharma and crack editor Namrata Rao adroitly weave heart-stopping sequences that meticulously bolster the film’s narrative.

Sharma, through his apt handling, adds multiple layers of psychological depth to what will come in the second act, without corrupting the first act.

Sharma carves his own cinematic path in the second act, toying with this iconoclastic idea. Even when lucidity partially fades away by Habib Faisal's quixotic writing in the third act, you're under the charismatic hold of an incredible talent - Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of a dejected fan with aplomb. Khan’s portrayal of Gaurav is a glorious triumph, enacted with the ice and fire that can gently haunt your dreams. Khan overwrites his standard portrayals and rides the role of a diehard fan to glory.

Gently, tenaciously, Khan pulls you into a world of his own with a restrained poise.

It’s hard to choose the best person for the supporting title. Shilpa Pilgaonkar’s remarkably astounding performance is natural to the core. Sayani Gupta’s composure and pitch-perfect diction is something to marvel at. Gupta doesn’t know how to fake a scene. She is always present in the moment. Deepika Amin, as the fan’s mother, is breathtakingly fluid in her role.

Fan owns a darkly addictive grandeur that evokes awe, confusion and sadness. Presented with a stark alacrity, Fan is also a ‘digs into your soul’ kind of cinematic experience, rendering Sharma’s spectacle with shades of dark humour, surreal satire and majestic sorrow.

What makes Fan unforgettable? Definitely, the filmmaker’s fine attention to composition and staging. The camera work by cinematographer Manu Ananddemonstrates poetic fluidity with seamless ease.

Sharma structures the lives of his problematic leads with painterly fastidiousness. Sharma’s drama is enthrallingly ambiguous and eccentrically constructed, with symbolism lurking in every frame.

Fortunately, Fan is a film that defies categorization. It leaves the audiences haunted and inspired in equal measure. It is not just a spellbinding escape into a dreamy world, but also a compassionately convincing dive into exploring human frailty.

Fan is a film about emotional scars, examined with a sensitivity that cuts deep. By the time it reaches the climax, the lump it leaves in your throat feels earned.

I just saw a rubbish article about how Shahrukh Khan should just accept his age and retire. He wrote that there is no good reviews about FAN. I just closed the tab. Obviously that moron did not see the film or read the reviews. Journos really let anybody write anything, even if it is pure garbage.